William j



(No Model.)

W. JIBREED 8; P. G. OBER.

GOFFIN;

No. 353,916. Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

Q/Vit'nc a a c J I awwntmsz N. PEYERS, PhaloLnhcgrapher. Washington. a.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. BREED AND PHILIP G. OBER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TOTHE CRANE & BREED MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COFFlNl SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,916, datedDecember 7, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. BREED and PHILIP G. OBER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCoffins, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification. 1

Our invention relates to an improvement in coffins by which the laborand time consumed and the trouble incurred in securing and hermeticallysealing the lid are reduced to a minimum.

It relates more particularly to metallic caskets, though it is capableof use on all coflius.

Heretoi'ore in securing the lids of coffins screws have been employed,which were inserted through the lid down into the body of the coffin allaround its edges, a means of fastening which required not onlyconsiderable time and labor, but often occasioned annoyance and troubleas well.

Our invention consists, primarily, in applying shouldered lugs to thelid of the coffin, and a corresponding number of cams to the flange ofthe body in such manner that a quarter or half turn of each of said camswould cause them to engage with the shoulders of the lugs, therebybringing down and tightly sealing the lid. Its novelty will be hereinset forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of thecoffin with our invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofa portion of the lid and body with parts cut away and shown in section.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same, showing the lid asjust beingapplied to the body. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the same afterthe fastening has been secured. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevationshowing a modification in the construction. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan viewof the fastening.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts inall the figures.

A represents the body of any suitable metallic coffin, and B its lid.The body of this coffin, near its upper edge, is provided with acontinuous flange, C, extending around it. The lid is likewise providedwith a continuous flange, D, adapted to rest upon the flange C when thelid is in place, and whose outeredge is preferably provided withacurtain, E, which serves to hide the joint, and may extend down anydistance required and be ornamented in any manner desired.

Secured to the under side of the flange D are a series of pendent lugs,F, at such distance apart as it is necessary or desirable to havefastenings. These lugs are cut out on one side to form shoulders a, andthese shoulders are preferably beveled to form wedgeengaging surfaces.

We preferably form a series of coincident slots or openings, b, throughthe flange C, to permit the passage of the lugs in applying the lid, andto the under side of the flange C we secure a series of segmental camsor rotating wedges, G, which are riveted, as seen in Fig. 2, through theflange C, butare free to turn therein, and have a shoulder, c, to form abearing against the under side of said flange. These cams are providedwith any suitable means for rotating them, such as a thumb nut, though Ihave illustrated them as provided with nut-heads d, to be turned by akey or wrench.

The arrangement of the cams with reference to the lugs, as seen in Fig.6, is such that when turned in one position they engage with theshoulders at and draw the lid tightly down upon the body of the coffin,and when turned to another position, as indicated by the dotted lines insaid figure, they become disengaged from thelugs and permit the lid tobe removed, as will be readily understood.

The lug F may be integral with and an extension of the curtain, as seenin Fig. 5, if desired; or it may be back of and entirely con cealed bythe curtain when the lid is applied. Again, the flange C need not beslotted or cut out at all to permit the passage of the lug, in whichevent the lug would extend down at the outer side of the flange C.

H represents any suitable packing-in this instance a strip or strips ofrubber-interposed between the flanges C and D, in order to hermeticallyseal the cotfin, when it is'so desired. This packing is likewise slottedor cutaway, to permit the passageof the lugs, when necessary.

While we prefer to make the rotating cam wedge shaped, it is evidentthat they might be perfectly flat segmental disks, and with their edgesslightly beveled, if desired, in which event the shoulders a ofthe lugswould be extended and be made sufficiently beveled or inclined to obtainthe aotionof a cam or wedge to effect the look.

It will be readily seen from the above construction that we provide avery simple and efficient fastening, requiring exceedingly little timeand labor to accomplish what has heretofore been a tedious and slowoperation, often accompanied with many difficulties.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claiml. The combination,with a coffin-body pro vided with a series of rotating cam-lockingdevices, of the lid provided with acorresponding series of shoulderedlugs, whereby when said lid is applied to the coffin it may be securedand tightly locked thereto by the partial rotation of the lockingdevices and their engagement with the shouldered lugs,substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination, with a coffin-body and its lid, of a series ofshouldered lugs attached to the bottom of the lid and a correspondingseries of coincident rotating cams or wedges attached to thecoffin-body, whereby when the lid is applied to the coflin-body it maybesecurely and tightly locked thereto by the partial rotation of the camsor wedges and their engagement with the shouldered lugs, substantiallyas described.

- 3. The combination, with a coffin-body provided with'a flange near itsupper edge, and

its lid provided with a corresponding flange, of a series of shoulderedlugs attached to the wedges attached to the flange of the coffinbody,whereby when the lid is applied to the coffin-body it may be securelyand tightly locked thereto by the partial rotation of the cams or wedgesand their engagement with the shouldered lugs, substantially asdescribed.

4. The c0mbinati0n,.with a coffin-body and its lid, of a series ofshouldered lugs attached to the bottom of the lid and a correspondingseries of coincident rotating segmental cams or wedges attached to thecoffin-body, whereby when the lid is applied to the coffin-body it maybe securely and tightlylocked thereto by the partial rotation of thecams or wedges and their engagement with the shouldered lugs,substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a coffin-body provided with a flange near itsupper edge, and its lid provided with a corresponding flange, of aseries of shouldered lugs attached to the bottom of the flange of thelid and a corresponding series of coincident rotating cams or wedgesattached to the flange of the coffin, and

packing material interposed between the-flange of the lid and the flangeof the coffin-body,

whereby the lid may besecurely and tightly locked to the coffin-body andhermetically sealed thereto by the partial rotation of the cams orwedges and their engagement with the shouldered lugs, substantially asdescribed.

6. A colfin-lid provided on its under side,

at or near its edge, with lugs F, having cutout portions to formshoulders at, in combination with the body of the coiiin, provided at ornear its upperedge with rotating segmental cams G, arranged coineidentlywith the shouldered lugs F and engaging therewith when the lid isapplied and the cams are partially rotated, substantially as described.

' WILLIAM J. BREED.

PHILIP G. OBER.

\Vitnesses: bottom of the flange of the lid and a corre-, Q spondingseries of coincident rotating cams or M. H. CRANE, ED AR W; RnoToR.

